


drink and be merry

by tanyart



Category: Destiny (Video Games)
Genre: Developing Relationship, Enemies to Lovers, M/M, Shotgunning, The Revelry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-07
Updated: 2019-05-07
Packaged: 2020-02-27 20:21:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18746422
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tanyart/pseuds/tanyart
Summary: Shin brings over some Reveler's Tonic to Drifter.





	drink and be merry

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Revelry. :)

The Revelry, in Drifter’s humble opinion, was a bunch of bullshit dressed up in flowers and pollen and not much else. Then again, that was his opinion for most of the new Tower holidays he had the dubious pleasure of witnessing.

Didn’t Crimson Doubles _just_ happen? And who the hell was manipulating the Verdant Forest to simulate flowers and chirping birds? Drifter had a lot of questions but none of them were worth getting strung out about. He kept his thoughts to himself, except for the occasional grumble about his Gambit arenas not filling up like they used to.

Honestly, he wasn’t _that_ bitter. He had plenty enough to catch up on despite the Gambit downtime. Drifter could resign himself to waiting out the flowers and the birds in the unpollinated safety of his Annex basement. That was — until Shin came knocking at his door, and when Drifter opened it, Shin was wearing a full set of Revelry gear.

“You got a minute?” Shin asked, poking his head in. The shining wingtips of his helmet’s ornament phased through Drifter’s doorframe.

Drifter didn’t close the door on him but it was a close call. Hell, he didn’t expect Shin to get all caught up in the Revelry nonsense too. Shin was an old hat, and Drifter assumed he would’ve stuck his nose up at the festivities. The guy seemed too serious most of the time, but maybe Shaxx put him up to it. Like Vanguard community service or something.

“Yeah. A minute,” Drifter said, wary, and stepped aside to let Shin in.

Shin didn’t move. His helmet tipped, flower icon glimmering. He had slapped on a silvery Gambit Chrome shader over his the Revelry gear. Not a bad look, actually.

“I meant outside,” Shin said.

Drifter tore his gaze away from the flower decals decorating Shin’s boots. He scoffed. “You gotta be kiddin’ me. I ain't going out there. Everyone’s gone all goofy.”

A bottle transmatted down into Shin’s hand, glowing with blue liquid inside and covered in vines around the outside. “With this, you mean?”

Drifter narrowed his eyes, glaring at the Revelry tonic then back at Shin. “Yeah.”

“It ain’t bad,” Shin said, confirming what Drifter was suspecting — he actually _drank_ the stuff. He waggled the bottle, like that was going to entice Drifter any. “Got to thinkin’ you might wanna try some.”

Drifter leaned away, more out of exaggeration than actual disgust. “No thanks. Not interested in chugging grandma’s happy juice.”

“Suit yourself.” Shin didn’t press any further. The bottle transmatted out of sight, but he kept his hand out as a robe appeared over his forearm, the heavy fabric muted gray and silver.

Even draped and folded, Drifter knew it was a Warlock’s Revelry robe. Still, he had to ask, just to be difficult. “Now what’s that?”

“Heard you liked disguises.” Shin unfurled the robe for Drifter to see, flipped it around, and then used both hands to press it against Drifter. “I think it’ll fit.”

Drifter looked down at it. Gambit Chrome again. He scowled, refusing to be startled by the gentle weight of Shin’s hands at his shoulders. It was only to hold up the robe. He put one hand over Shin’s wrist, just to keep him at bay. “You serious?”

“Come outside,” Shin offered again. His wrist slipped lower in Drifter’s loose grip, palm stopping under Drifter’s thumb. He didn’t move any more after that, content to keep his fist under Drifter’s hand. “Surprised you haven’t gone stir crazy yet.”

Drifter didn’t look at their joined hands. Feeling a little panicked, he said, “Maybe I’ve _been_ stir crazy. Ever since I landed here in this damn Tower.”

Shin’s head went up by a fraction, wingtips perking. “So is that a yes?”

Drifter didn’t think Shin sounded too hopeful. More dry than anything. He could feel Shin’s fingers starting to pull away, the weight of heavy robe lifting with them. The fabric smelled like smoke rather than florals, which surprised him for some reason.

Drifter mind up his mind and snatched the robe from Shin’s hands. “Gimmie a minute.”

 

* * *

 

Drifter knew exactly what he was going into when he stepped outside; gaudy decorations, blooming flowers, twittering birds and the like. He’d seen it on the news feeds and walked pass the banners when he had to. A lot of the Tower Guardians looked to be having a good time too, all dolled up in petals and ornaments, well into being drunk on more than just the Revelry Tonic, he figured.

It wasn’t that bad, because Drifter spent all of five minutes being jostled around by the jubilant crowd — whooping, laughing, blending in with the rest of them — before he decided that was _enough_ , and took to the quieter rooftops.

Shin followed him, of course. All the way up until they found an abandoned balcony with nothing but a few construction signs and a view of the plaza. Had to hack through a few access codes to get up this high, but between him and Shin it didn’t take much effort at all.

Drifter kept to the railing, leaning on his elbows to peer down at the festivities. Then, satisfied that everyone below would be too busy with their fun to look up, he pulled off the Revelry helmet. Sweat had built up at the back of his neck, like somehow the euphoric energy of the crowd had stuck onto him. Lucky for him, the fumes didn’t quite take — left him feeling more grumpy than anything else. Drifter wiped the sweat away with the back of his hand and took a breath. He could still smell the flowers from here.

Shin watched him, bottle hanging from his hand. His helmet was off. There was a small frown on his face, though that wasn’t really anything new to Drifter. Shin only looked tired, and being all decked out in Revelry gear smelling like roses wasn’t going to change that.

And here was the truth of it — even if he did drink the Revelry tonic, Drifter suspected it wouldn’t really work on him, the same way it didn’t quite work on Shin. Miserable bastards ‘till the end, the two of them.

Maybe Shin knew it too. Matter of fact, Drifter was pretty sure he knew, with the way Shin’s expression got all wry when he caught Drifter looking.

He jerked his chin towards the Revelry crowd down below. “They make it look easy, huh?”

A swell of music and happy shouts sounded, distant; they sure as fuck did. Drifter sighed. He held out his hand for the bottle. “Alright, alright. Give it here.”

Shin’s brow went up. “You sure?”

“Before I change my mind and leave you to drink by your lonesome.”

Shin still looked skeptical, but he handed the bottle over. The thing was lighter than Drifter anticipated — it lifted easily from Shin’s hand, cold to the touch.

Drifter opened the bottle and took a sip.

He had every intention to gulp that little bit down just to prove that he could, but as soon as the fizzy liquid hit his tongue, the old paranoia crawling under his skin spiked — made his throat seize and closed it up. Drifter almost choked.

A thousand thoughts whirled inside his head; he didn’t know _what_ tonic was. Where it came from. All the Guardians in the Tower were mad for it. The drink made them all silly as hell, susceptible to anything. And now that he thought about it — it even made Shin lower his guard some, ease up the hard set of his shoulders and kept his hands relaxed, away from his holsters. Shin wasn’t the type to get all goofy like the rest of the Guardians, but there were signs, and Drifter had missed them all.

The taste was slightly sweet, bubbling pleasantly in his mouth. It would go down easy — but the best poisons often did.

Drifter couldn’t swallow it. Wouldn’t.

He kept the fizzy liquid in his mouth and held it. Made a motion to spit it out by turning his head.

Shin caught his wrist with a noise of protest.

“Oh hell, don’t spit it out. Took me four runs through that damn forest to get that much,” he said, exasperated. He stepped closer, tugging Drifter by the hand. “Here. If you don’t want, I’ll take it back -” and planted his mouth firmly over Drifter’s.

Drifter was surprised enough to almost have it go down his throat anyway, but he parted his lips instead, easier to do with Shin’s tongue coaxing it open. Drifter closed his eyes, grabbing on to Shin’s forearm. The tonic was still fizzy and cold between them, nothing like liquor.

It wasn’t much of a kiss. Hell, it wasn’t meant to be one. Shin took most of the tonic back, swallowing while still pressed against Drifter’s mouth, licking away the rest. When he was done, he eased back, looked at Drifter, and then leaned in again to swipe his tongue beneath Drifter’s bottom lip where some of the tonic had dribbled.

Drifter’s grip on the railing was so tight he heard the metal creak.

“Ah, well. If it ain’t for you then that’s just how it is,” Shin said after a moment. He let go of Drifter’s wrist, not looking too surprised by the turn of events, but he did shoot Drifter a rueful look.

Drifter drew back. He hadn’t swallowed a drop of the thing, but the taste lingered. The feel Shin’s mouth and tongue still lingered. Drifter tried not to lick his lips. “Wasn’t what I was expecting.”

Looking at Shin, he thought the tonic would have a noticeable effect. He thought about darkened eyes or constricted pupils, jittery nerves and twitchy fingers. Something manic. He’d heard that old lady Eva say _just a sip_ , and it’d put a guy in happyville a hundred times faster than a bottle of tequila.

Shin acted more or less the same. Didn’t turn brain addled or anything. Smiling a little more, maybe — not so much his mouth but in his eyes — like he was on some kind of inside joke Drifter didn’t know about.

Drifter squinted, suspicion curling in his gut. “You look happy ‘bout somethin’.”

Shin glanced at him, glanced up as if he was debating something, and then said, “Didn’t think you would actually give it a shot. Guess it made me happy you even tried.”

Embarrassment made Drifter’s face heat. He leaned back against the railing again. “That’s the juice talkin’.”

“I doubt it.” Interestingly enough, Shin let out a frustrated sound. Revelry tonic could only do so much. “You think I’d go through the trouble of a getting a bottle for myself? Stuff’s made for sharin’.”

“With your friends.”

Shin’s shoulders drew up, though his expression remained neutral. He shrugged and didn’t have a comeback for that.

Drifter took some amount of gratification that he could still make Shin angry. He had to. Otherwise, maybe he’d start feeling bad. He rubbed his temples. Shit. Four runs through the forest? Sounded like a waste of time.

With something that felt a little like exasperation at himself, Drifter snatched the bottle. He wasn’t almost fast enough, but Shin let him have it after some reflexive resistance.

“You gonna try and spit it out again?” Shin asked, wary.

“Maybe giving you another excuse to drink some more,” Drifter said, opening the bottle. With that, he put it to his lips and threw back a mouthful before the paranoia had a chance to catch up again.

Shin snorted and took a step closer, clearly anticipating it. This time, Drifter swallowed out of spite, and down the tonic went.

Instantly, there was a hit of sparks in his belly and chest, like he’d just seen a killer play in Gambit. Then it ebbed away, left him feeling warm at best. It was a far cry from wanting to jump up and dance in the streets.

Like he thought, it went down easy. He could’ve taken another shot, but he gave the bottle back to Shin instead.

“Not much like a shot of whiskey,” Drifter grunted. He had expected the tension to go away, the fear to disappear for a moment, but it was still there. Oddly enough, there was something reassuring about that.

“Tastes better.”

That, Drifter couldn’t deny. He contemplated the leftover flavor in his mouth and shook his head, drumming his fingers on the railing. What a letdown. But he _knew_. “Thought this was supposed to put you in a good mood.”

Shin turned, surprised. He leaned in, tilting his head so that he can stare at Drifter. His hand came up, almost touching Drifter’s arm, except his fingers curled in at this last second, wrist dropping to rest over the railing instead. “You’re not?”

Drifter met Shin’s curious gaze. Not especially hard to do, considering how close they were standing. Shin smelled like florals, not gunsmoke or fire, and Drifter wasn’t sure what he would’ve preferred. What was Shin doing anyway? All dressed up in silver Revelry armor with nothing better to do than hang around, trying to get Drifter to drink a stupid gimmicky tonic that promised happiness. It was something Drifter was sure neither one of of them could have, artificial or not. And yet Shin was still here, leaning in all too close and making a piss poor attempt to pretend otherwise.

Drifter felt his chest go tight. _Ah, damn_.

He would never admit this aloud — that he felt happier with Shin appearing at his door than when he drank the tonic, that all Shin had to do was follow him up to the rooftops and just hang around, doing nothing.

Drifter leaned in, brushing his fingers over Shin’s hand, right over the knuckles of his balled fist. When Shin’s hand stayed clenched, he settled his palm on top of it and kissed Shin on the mouth, lingering until the hard line of Shin’s mouth softened into something that felt like a smile.

Drifter drew back. Shin looked so damned pleased Drifter felt a flash of ruefulness at whether or not it was the tonic that made it that simple. Whether or not Shin chose to believe it for himself, Drifter couldn’t say.

But Shin didn’t go for the bottle again, letting Drifter press him against the railing for another insistent kiss. At Drifter’s hands at his face, he let out a quiet laugh like he’d been holding it in, and Drifter could finally admit to himself that he’d rather drink that up instead.


End file.
